How's your course bearing up in this exceptionally wet weather?

[JohnnyDee]

I'm no expert and don't have access to official Met Office records or data, but just from personal observation and pure gut-feeling this is undoubtedly the longest period of almost continuous wet weather I can remember since starting to play seriously in the late 90s.

We have been doing pretty well with extensive drainage projects in recent years paying off, however since the weekend we have reached saturation point and have been closed - a decision I fully support. I should say we are located in the Home Counties and one of our problems is we are on clay soil so have the associated general drainage issues that go with that.

So how are you doing?

 

[Norrin Radd]

being a member of Willingdon we have very few issues ,the greens soft as one would expect but the rest of the course is very much not been affected by the rain ,we are chalk based and drain with no problems at all.the only time we close the course is if it is snowbound ,but being in Eastbourne that has happened only twice in the last ten years ,or so im informed.
as you say most courses in this area are clay based and struggle to drain .my choice of course was very much decided on the fact it was chalk based and didnt close as soon as there is a cloud in the sky.

 

[upsidedown]

Clay based and been closed 13 days already. Open today just and have had carry only over the weekend for the first time in years . Another 5mm if rain will close us again .

 

[pendodave]

Very badly. Was open today, but pretty much unplayable. Raining again tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if it's closed until the weekend.
I've been a member here for 5 years, and it's easily the worst winter we've had. Not even the end of December yet...

 

[HarrogateHacker]

I play at Pannal, it’s been wet up here, we’ve been playing 9 to 13 holes for a couple of months but the open holes have been ok considering

 

[Wolf]

Terrible haven't played in weeks. Even when it has been open it's still been to wet to be properly playable

 

[Imurg]

How they managed to open the zoo yesterday just astound me given the amount of rain kn the last 48 hours.
It's been closed on and off, open when it should have been closed and, in all honesty, not really fit to play when it is open
With the rain due today and tomorrow, if they do open at the weekend they'll be risking the course.
Deep footprints kn fairways don't spring back like they do on greens.
I haven't played up there since the 4th December and I wont get up there until after xmas when, hopefully, it will have dried out a bit.
The new club, however, has been open every single damn day!
April cant come quick enough

 

[Crow]

Agreed that this is the longest wet spell I can remember, our course has been on/off closed for weeks, I'd guess something like 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 days the course has been closed, and we've had a lot of drainage work done over the years.

Our first green was relaid around September and we went to a temporary until it's settled in, this temporary is now a complete joke, no grass and just mud, almost impossible to putt on, a great first impression for any visitors!

(Closed again today and with rain forecast tomorrow and Friday I very much doubt if I'll be getting a game this weekend.)

 

[patricks148]

Nairn never closes because of wet weather being a links, The kings on the other had has had some real downpores and where the course is... the low point between to hills. Nairn Dunbar can also be wet in places due to it being built down the old riverbed of the Nairn when it was redirected to build the harbour

 

[Deleted member 15344]

We haven’t been closed at yet - most of the course is on sand but there are a few holes with a bit of clay but we spend a lot of money on drainage which is working well. Couple of wet spots on some fairways.

Greens though are mainly dry and the rope drainage we installed on them is superb and any club that suffers we wet greens shoold look at

It’s quite amusing that the day after we agreed to install a sprinkler system all over the course costing a fortune it’s done nothing but rain ?

 

[Dan2501]

Not well. Has been closed most days for the last week, has put down some serious rain.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Struggling. We were closed for a couple of days but front nine open yesterday and today. Carry only. Not looking good for the weekend and the comp on Sunday as loads more rain due

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Amazingly well. Our parkland course was built in the mid to late 80's and so drainage was put in at the very beginning. Fairways and greens are holding up very well. As soon as you go off the fairway, walks between holes etc it is not good but that is no surprise. We have had a lot of rain and the water table has had no chance to drop. I come off the course with my trousers splattered in mud but it is manageable, as good as you can hope for from a parkland course right now.

Hard times for clubs and greenkeepers, not a lot they can do about the weather.

 

[Fish]

Mainly 16 holes open with 11 & 12 closed, sometimes down to a 9 loop (1,6,7,8,9,10,16,17,18) when we’ve experienced heavy rain for a few hours as it’s not getting the opportunity to drain.

With that said, I’m aware we’ve been open in some capacity far more than many others in the region, although predominantly carry only.

Just renewed my country membership at Woodhall Spa for 12mths which has been a godsend the last few months.

 

[casuk]

Ours (parkland) has been closed one day through rain, think it was 72 hours straight with no let up, it's just the low lands that are affected and some greens are flooded but 10 hours after it stops were back in play, can still be a little boggy on the fairways, were on winter mats and geeens until march

 

[AmandaJR]

Fully open and carry only for past number of weeks. It's just about playable but not for me at the moment as golf enthusiasm low and wet, cold, muddy golf not changing that anytime soon. I was chatting to the head greenkeeper and he said they're trying not to close it as it's then a question of it improving significantly to justify re-opening and not much sign of that happening. Fairways not bad, rough wet as and greens holding up well.

 

[duncan mackie]

Clay based and this week they have finally had to close completely.

We are on our second flood warning at the moment which gives an indication of the saturation levels and continued precipitation in the imediate area

 

[USER1999]

Not great, but then I have no interest paddling about in a swamp anyway.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Home club is struggling, we are on Loam where we live a few miles from the club but have a funny feeling there must be a layer of clay near the surface(?), at the home club, as it struggles to drain as well as here.

Been a while since I last played there for a few reasons, but the rain has been mad here, another big load last night and more forecast late afternoon. Think it is closed.

Away clubs all sand based, so all open and coping well given the conditions.

 

[USER1999]

Course closed. More rain today, and tomorrow. Next game planned for Jan 4, when it will probably be frozen solid.